Steel pile assembly for the erection of underground concrete walls



July 1, 1969 G. NOVET 3,452,546

\ STEEL FILE ASSEMBLY FOR THE ERECTION OF UNDERGROUND CONCRETE WALLS Filed, July 5, 1967 ATTORNIEK United States Patent 3,452,546 STEEL PILE ASSEMBLY FOR THE ERECTION OF UNDERGROUND CONCRETE WALLS Gabriel Novet, Chindrieux, France, assignor to Compagnie Generale de Forages C.O.F.O.R., Paris, France, a

French joint-stock company Filed July 5, 1967, Ser. No. 651,299 Claims priority, appliciitio ll France, Apr. 21, 1967, 8, 3 Int. Cl. E02d 5/34 US. CI. 61-53 4 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A steel pile particularly adapted for erection of underground concrete walls includes a metal plate for vertical disposition in the ground and a sheet metal cross-piece projecting angularly from the sides of the plate. A support tube is fixed to and extends along each outer edge of the cross-piece and a series of anchoring devices are fixed to each side of the plate on each side of the crosspiece.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Field of the invention The invention resides generally in the field of steel piles.

Description of the prior art It has heretofore been proposed to drive piles into the ground spaced in much manner to permit the casting of a series of separate wall panels each disposed between a pair of adjacent piles. French Patents 1,438,464 and 1,438,465, Compagnie Generale de Forages, Mar. 24, 1965, describe processes and machinery for utilizing piles of this type.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The invention resides in the provision of a steel pile for the erection of underground concrete walls, not as a series of separate panels, but rather in the form of a continuous wall or partition which may be of any desired length.

The piles comprises an elongated sheet metal plate arranged for vertical disposition in a drilled hole in the ground and a sheet metal cross-piece fixed to the plate. The cross-piece projects angularly from the sides of the plate and extends substantially from end to end thereof. A support tube is fixed to and extends along each outer edge of the cross-piece and a series of devices for anchoring the pile in concrete are fixed to each side of the plate and on each side of the cross-piece.

In use, a series of holes are drilled in the ground and a pile, as described, is placed in each hole. A water tight tube is preferably provided along each edge of the sheet metal plate for engagement with the wall of the hole to hold the pile in vertical position therein. A trench is then dug connecting each pair of adjacent holes. A reticulate reinforcement comprising a network of metal rods is placed in each trench and extends from one to the other of the piles therein. Concrete is then poured into the trenches to provide a series of reinforced concrete panels joined together by the piles.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING FIGURE 1 is a sectional elevation of an underground structure in accordance with the invention,

FIGURE 2 is a partial plan view of the structure of FIGURE 1,

3,452,546 Patented July 1, 1969 DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The underground structure to which the pile of the present invention is applicable is illustrated in FIGURES 1 and 2. A number of identical piles A are designated as A1, A2, A3, A4 for the sake of clarity. As shown in FIGURES 1 and 2, it is proposed to cast a series of consecutive panels in such manner that a continuous vertical wall is formed underground.

In the example shown, a series of vertically disposed round holes 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 are bored in the ground and a pile A1, A2, A3 A4 placed in each. A trench is then dug joining holes 1, 2. The trench may be dug in any suitable manner, for example, by using bentonite mud and the earth-working machine of French Patent 1,438,465. A reticulated network 6 of reinforcement rods is then arranged in the trench between piles A1, A2 and concrete poured into this treach to form a panel 7. A similar treanch 8 is next dug between piles A3, A4, a reinforcement network (not shown) inserted, and a second concrete panel poured therein. Following casting of the latter panel, a trench section 9 is dug between piles A2, A3, reinforcement inserted, and another concrete panel poured therein.

Proceeding in the manner outlined; that is, by casting two panels of odd sequence numbers and then two of seven sequence numbers, it will be observed that finally a continuous underground wall may be formed of any desired length.

Piles A are particularly adapted for the purpose described and for use with the earthwork process of the aforementioned French patents. FIGURES 3 and 4 provide a detailed illustration of such a pile which is shown as placed between two successive panels cast in trench sections 10 and 11.

The pile comprises an elongated sheet metal plate 12 having fixed to each longitudinal edge thereof a length of angle iron 13. Each angle iron length is adapted to provide a seat for a steel watertight tube 14 which in use with the pile is vertically disposed.

Attached to the midsection of plate 12 and extending angularly from each side thereof is a sheet metal cross-- piece 15. The cross-piece on each side comprises a pair of plates converging towards each other and towards a support tube 16 fixed to the outer edges of the cross-piece plates.

It will be observed that, in plan, the pile is in the form of a cross and that angle irons 13 and tubes 16 are arranged on the vertices of a rhombus.

Tubes 14 are inserted, as, for example, by friction, between angle irons 13 and the ground, in order to anchor the pile in the hole before pouring the concrete.

Between each angle iron 13 and adjacent plate 12 of cross-piece 15 is fixed, as by welding, a series of anchoring devices such as a plurality of steel rods 17 onto plate 12. Rods 17 are in superimposed relation in the manner of ladder rungs, and it will be observed that they are disposed obliquely to the horizontal, that is, obliquely to a direction perpendicularly of plate 12. The free ends of each series of rods 17 are joined by means of a channel strip 18 into which such ends extend. As shown in the plane view of FIGURE 4, each of the four strips 18 is arranged between a tube 16 and an angle iron 13. In other words, the plate 12 and rods 17 form a profile in the form of the letter H.

Pile A is so dimensioned as to situate the tubes 14 next to the walls of a cylindrical hole 19 which has been bored in the ground. Plate 12 is then placed transversely in relation to the direction of the wall to be formed. The tubes 16 may also serve as a carriage track for an excavating machine if such is used to dig the trench sections and 11.

Following excavation, a reinforcement network 20 is inserted in trench section 10. The vertical side portions of reinforcement 20 are provided with a series of superimposed ho rizont-ally extending hooks 21 which are located on each side of rods 17 and strips 18 on each side of plate 12. This arrangement, combined with the oblique direction of rods 17, ensures an excellent anchorage of the pile on the reinforcement network 20 when concrete is poured into the trench section 10.

In the next phase of the operating procedure, a similar reinforcement assembly 22 is arranged in trench section 12 with the horizontal hooks 23 lodged in the same manner on either side of the other two strips 18. In this way, the pile becomes buried in the concrete and ensures connection between the two networks of reinforcements 20 and 22 of the two adjacent panels.

It will be apparent that concrete may also be poured inside pile A and more particularly between the plates of cross-piece 15.

The piles described are readily adaptable to construction in relatively light weight form but of fully adequate rigidity. As previously indicated, they insure continuity between the successive panels of the wall being erected.

It will be understood that the anchoring devices 17 and 18 may be replaced with perforated or expanded metal members. Furthermore, if required, tubes 14 may be rigidly welded to angle irons 13.

I claim:

1. A pile for the erection of underground walls comprising a vertical transverse web having two lateral vertical edges; two vertical guiding tubes having their axes in a plane perpendicular to said web and intersecting same substantially midway of the lateral edges thereof, said tubes being disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to said web, each to laterally guide an excavating machine; means to connect said guiding tubes with said web; and rods extending laterally of said web on both sides thereof and on both sides of the vertical plane of the axes of said guiding tubes to form a connecting reinforcement between concrete slabs poured each side of said pile.

2. In a pile as claimed in claim 1, said web having an angle iron secured thereto along each of its vertical edges, said angle iron opening outwardly and being disposed substantially symmetrically with respect to said web to receive auxiliary vertical centering tubes.

3. In a pile as claimed in claim 1, said rods having outer ends remote from said web and said outer ends being connected on each side of said web and on each side of the plane of the axes of said guiding rods by a vertical channel strip to form therewith a reinforcing and anchoring network.

4. In a pile as claimed in claim 1, said means to connect said guiding tubes with said web comprising for each guiding tube a pair of vertical plates having two lateral edges respectively welded to said last-named guiding tube and to said web, said plates converging from said web towards said last-named tube, so that in horizontal cross-section said pairs of plates form with said guiding tubes a rhombus having two opposed rounded apices.

References Cited FOREIGN PATENTS 1,286,861 l/l962 France. 560,482 4/1957 Italy.

JACOB SHAPIRO, Primary Examiner.

US. Cl. X.R. 

